


Nuestra Señora de los Milagros

by Nicky_Gabriel



Category: Riptide (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-15
Updated: 2011-04-15
Packaged: 2017-10-18 03:14:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/184385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicky_Gabriel/pseuds/Nicky_Gabriel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick was a huge part of his life and he always included him in all decision he ever made.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nuestra Señora de los Milagros

**Author's Note:**

> Episode related: Thirty-Six Hours 'Til Dawn

Cody woke up when the door opened. He looked at his watch and frowned. Nick had been out for seven hours and he had fallen asleep waiting for him. Now Nick was leaning against the doorframe, looking for at Cody in a grim silence. Then he closed the door and came to him, sitting next to Cody on the bed in their hotel room. Cody sat up and looked suspiciously at the sheets of paper his friend was holding in his hand.

When two days ago the attorney contacted Nick, he mentioned the witness protection program, and that could have meant only one person. Nick went to the meeting alone, although all Cody wanted was to follow him. However, he respected Nick's wish and waited in their hotel until Nick was back. Now Cody sensed how upset Nick was and what he saw on the front page confirmed his suspicions.

 _Renee St. Claire._

Well, whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

"It was... when? Two years ago?" Cody asked, putting his hand on Nick's shoulder.

"Two years, six months and eight days ago," Nick answered emotionlessly.

Cody blinked, but wasn't at all surprised that Nick remembered it that well. "What happened?" he asked instead.

Nick didn't say anything for a while; he was just sitting there and staring at the documents.

"She died last week."

Cody squeezed his shoulder, "How?" Was all he could ask.

"They killed her," Nick's voice was rough. "They found her and... killed her."

Cody leaned his forehead against Nick's temple and breathed, "I'm sorry, buddy."

Nick just closed his eyes, but then reached out and put his hand over Cody's on his shoulder.

Cody was so tuned to his moods recently, that he could actually physically feel Nick's pain. Rene was one of a few women Nick really loved and losing her two years ago shattered him into pieces, but she was alive at least. Now, there was no hope for them, however unreal it seemed in the first place.

But there was something more. Nick was scared – that much Cody could tell without even looking at him. In the dim light coming from the street light on the other side of the window, Cody saw that Nick was near panicking.

"Nick?" he asked and reached for the papers.

Nick hesitated, but let him take it without a word. Cody flipped through the documents and suddenly stopped at a photo of a child. The girl looked about two years old, dark-haired and smiling broadly at the camera. Cody could recognize this smile anytime. No wonder Nick was frightened.

"Is this your daughter?" he asked, knowing that Nick wasn't ready to admit it on his own right now.

"Isn't it obvious?" Nick took the picture from his hand and traced the little figure with his thumb.

Cody switched the lights on and took a better look at the papers. Death certificate, birth certificate, insurance and other legal papers were included. On one of them he spotted a name of the adoption agency.

"Cody, I'm sorry," Nick's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Cody blinked and looked up. "What?" What on earth could he be sorry for?

"I know how much it all means to you, our agency and the life we have," Nick looked him in the eyes. "And – and it means a lot to me too, but – but I can't do that, man." He pointed at the adoption form the attorney most probably provided at the meeting. "I'm all she's got and... it's just not an option for me to give her up. I'm sorry."

"Nick, shut up," Cody shook his head. "Of course it's not an option! There are other things we can do than looking for some stray dogs."

"We?" Nick looked at him surprised.

Cody cursed quietly. "I tried it once without you, and it didn't work, so don't expect me to let you go again," he said firmly.

They both remembered the time when Cody was ready to sell their detective agency and Nick planned to move out from the boat. Cody asked him not to, and Nick stayed. Now Cody wasn't going to abandon him either.

"Cody, I don't want to hold you down," Nick said fiercely. "Now, when the agency finally has a name on the market and we get really big cases that pay a lot, it would be just stupid to let it all go."

Cody considered it seriously, because Nick had a point there, but the alternative was losing Nick and this was no option for Cody at all. Nick was a huge part of his life and he always included him in all decision he ever made.

"We knew from the very beginning it wouldn't be forever," he said finally. "We have saved enough to start a new life as we always wanted to."

"You love the old one." Nick faced him uncertainly.

Cody knew there was just one way to convince his partner. "Why do you think I do?"

That Nick understood and he nodded once. Cody loved everything that Nick was part of.

"Her name's Milagros Claire and I already love her." Nick traced the picture again.

"Yeah?" Cody noticed the name on the birth certificate, but was glad Nick finally seemed to accept their possible future – still together.

"You know, I already lost all hope of fatherhood," Nick admitted in a low voice.

Cody put a hand around his shoulder and Nick leaned against him as if he was just waiting for this gesture. They had their share of losing women they loved and Cody could relate only too well. He didn't say anything, but he knew Nick understood.

"So you will stay?" Nick asked but didn't sound scared anymore.

"Have I ever left you behind?" Cody reached up to rest a hand against the back of Nick's neck, rubbing it lightly.

"I love you both, you know?" his partner whispered into his neck.

Cody brushed his lips over Nick's forehead. Yes, he knew.

 **THE END**


End file.
